Malliotakis Files FOIA Request on Mayor’s Travel

New Yorkers Have a Right to Know How Much Taxpayers Spent

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, the presumptive Republican nominee in the race for mayor, held a Wednesday morning news conference on the steps of City Hall to announce the filing of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Office of the Mayor and with the NYPD.

The FOIA requests “information specifying the total cost to the City of New York for the following visits outside of the City of New York made by Mayor Bill de Blasio, including but not limited to protection by the New York City Police Department; transportation to the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail; transportation returning from the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail; transportation within the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail; lodging within the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail; and meals within the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail.”

The request then lists 21 separate trips that Mayor de Blasio has taken; starting with a trip to Chicago Illinois on March 6, 2014 and ending with this month’s excursion to Hamburg, Germany where the Mayor attempted to insert himself into international politics at the G-20 summit; neglecting New York City after the Department of Homeless Services revealed a 39% spike in street homelessness, a police officer was assassinated and then skipping the swearing-in ceremony for 524 new NYPD recruits.

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis said, “Last night, in my name and on behalf of the taxpayers of New York City, I filed a FOIA request with the Office of the Mayor and with the NYPD requesting the costs of 21 trips the Mayor has taken since March of 2014. “Since his return from Germany, the Mayor and his staff have been mum when questioned by the media; citing security concerns, they have directed all questions to the NYPD. The NYPD then cites security concerns as the reason for not answering questions on the topic.

“I want to be clear; in no way do I want to jeopardize the safety of the Mayor or of the men and women of the NYPD who protect him. I am not asking for the number of NYPD personnel assigned to him on a trip. What I am asking for is the bottom line; what did it cost the taxpayers of New York. “Bill de Blasio’s disregard for the public’s right to know and for the most basic tenets of transparency in government have been on full display over the course of his first 3 ½ years in City Hall. Once again, Bill de Blasio has put the NYPD in a bad position by passing the buck to them. If the Mayor would ‘man-up’ and release the full costs of these trips, I would gladly withdraw the FOIA request I submitted to the NYPD.

“New York taxpayers deserve to know what Mayor de Blasio’s trips are costing them during a critical time when the subway crisis is at its worst, homelessness is skyrocketing and other quality of life issues are deteriorating.

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The FOIA REQUEST:

To: Office of the New York City Mayor
From: Nicole Malliotakis
Date: July 18, 2017

I request delivery, to my home address listed above, information specifying the total cost to the City of New York for the following visits outside of the City of New York made by Mayor Bill de Blasio, including but not limited to protection by the New York City Police Department; transportation to the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail; transportation returning from the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail; transportation within the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail; lodging within the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail; and meals within the destination for Mayor de Blasio, his staff, and his security detail:

1. Chicago, IL, on or about March 6, 2014 until his return to the City of New York.
2. Atlantic City, NJ, on or about March 13, 2014 until his return to the City of New York.
3. Boston, MA, on or about June 26, 2014 until his return to the City of New York.
4. Various locations in Italy, on or about July 19, 2014 until his return to the City of New York.
5. Manchester, United Kingdom, on or about September 24, 2014 until his return to the City of New York.
6. Various locations in Puerto Rico, on or about November 6, 2014 until his return to the City of New York.
7. Paris, France, on or about January 20, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
8. Various locations in Puerto Rico, on or about April 3, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
9. Omaha, NE, on or about April 15, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
10. Des Moines, IA, on or about April 16, 2015 until his return to the city of New York.
11. Various locations in California, on or about May 14, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
12. Various locations in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, on or about July 1, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
13. Various locations in Italy, on or about July 7, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
14. Various locations in Rhode Island, on or about August 17, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
15. Various locations in Connecticut, on or about September 4, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
16. Various locations in Israel, on or about October 16, 2015 until his return to the City of New York.
17. Various locations in Florida, on or about March 24, 2016 until his return to the City of New York.
18. Various locations in Italy, on or about July 18, 2016 until his return to the City of New York.
19. Various locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island, on or about August 22, 2016 until his return to the city of New York.
20. Various locations in California, Florida, and Illinois, on or about March 3, 2017 until his return to the City of New York.
21. Various locations in Germany, on or about July 6, 2017 until his return to the City of New York.

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